Harvesting Power From Lobsters and Snails

Energy from this lobster powered a small motor in a lab at Clarkson University.Photo: Ben Stechschulte

Energy being harvested from clams create a reading on the capacitor.Photo: Ben Stechschulte

Snail, with electrodes, on a patch of moss in the lab.Photo: Ben Stechschulte

Small snail with electrodes.Photo: Ben Stechschulte

Energy being harvested from a small snail.Photo: Ben Stechschulte

Good news: An electrical grid powered by human bodies, as seen in The Matrix, might be feasible! Teams of researchers at three universities—Clarkson, Case Western Reserve, and Joseph Fourier in France—have recently figured out ways to harvest power from living organisms. Granted, turning beings into generators raises a few ethical issues.

But consider the upsides: Batteries deplete rather quickly. But because biofuel cells use enzymes to convert glucose or other compounds into electricity, the lifespan of these energy sources could be as long as the lifespan of the organism. This could theoretically lead to devices like a human-powered pacemaker. Imagine what the marketers who dreamed up the Energizer Bunny could do with a DuraLobster. Here’s a look at a few ongoing animal-to-energy projects.

Here are the five creatures and the maximum power they produced–

Lobster

Output: 12 microwatts
Enzyme-coated sheets of carbon nanotubes formed electrodes that researchers implanted in the animal’s back. This biofuel cell produced a charge that’s about a third of the voltage of a AAA battery.

Cockroach

Output: N/A
Researchers employed capacitors to store a cockroach’s electrical output and used the energy to transmit radio signals. The goal: create a cyborg insect that can be controlled with a joystick.

Snail

Output: 7.45 microwatts
When fed a healthy diet of carrots, the snail produced enough juice to run a pacemaker. This could lead to implantable medical devices that are powered by the patient’s body.

Clam

Output: 37 microwatts
Scientists linked three clams from the grocery store and used the energy to run a tiny electric motor. They allowed the clams time to rest between harvesting sessions so the bivalves could regenerate their blood sugar levels.

Rat

Output: 6.5 microwatts
Researchers put electrodes in the abdomen of a 1-pound male rat. They harvested electricity from the rat’s blood for three months, which led them to believe it would be possible to develop self-powered artificial organs.

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